The jury in the case of three men accused of staging a mock crucifixion will continue on Friday to consider their verdicts.

They retired at 12.30pm on Thursday at York Crown Court to decide whether Andrew Addison, 31, of Westbourne Road, Selby, Christopher Jackson, 22, of Acorn Close, Barlby, and Alex Puchir, 37, of Glenallen Drive, Edinburgh are guilty or not of a religiously aggravated assault of an apprentice joiner by tying him to a cross on a building site.

They must also decide whether Addison committed a separate, non-religiously aggravated assault on the apprentice and whether he, and a fourth man, Joseph Richard Rose, 21, of Main Street, Bubwith, put the apprentice in fear of violence by harassment.

It is alleged the victim also had penises drawn on him in marker pen and was paraded through a street in York after being taped to a chair.

PREVIOUS REPORTS

>>> 'Lazy' apprentice was tied to timber for his back-chat

>>> Joiner who drew penises on apprentice 'thought he'd find it funny'

>>> People get tied up on building sites all the time, says accused

>>> Alleged victim's mum testifies 

>>> Victim had dummy shoved in his mouth

>>> Trial begins